“Extremely short staffed” and “unsafe for patient care” are just two of the accusations made by nurses who work at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center in a scathing 16-page report released this week. The report by Health Professionals and Allied Employees — the largest union representing health care workers in the state — accuses the hospital of not being safe for patients or staff. Some 649 nurses took part in the survey out of more than 1,400 who are employed and affiliated with HPAE Local 5058.
In response to the report, Hackensack Meridian Health said, “HPAE’s survey and white paper are devoid of facts and should be scrutinized closely for their motives and timing. It is a self-serving propaganda piece timed to coincide with their current contract negotiations.”
The report comes as the union is in negotiations over a new contract. The hospital in Neptune was slapped with more than a dozen violations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 2020 over workplace conditions and other unmet standards involving personal protective equipment.
